leg, and a kersey boot-hose on the other, gartered | It skills not much; we'll fit him to our turn,— with a red and blue list; an old hat, and The humor | And he shall be Vincentio of Pisa; of forty fancies prick'd in't for a feather: a monster, a very monster in apparel; and not like a Christian footboy, or a gentleman's lackey. Tra. 'Tis some odd humor pricks him to this Yet oftentimes he goes but mean apparell'd. Bap. Didst thou not say, he comes? Bap. Ay, that Petruchio came. And make assurance, here in Padua, Luc. Were it not that my fellow-schoolmaster Bion. No, sir; I say, his horse comes with him We'll over-reach the grey-beard, Gremio; on his back. frown: And wherefore gaze this goodly company; Bap. Why, sir, you know this is your wedding-day: Tra. And tell us, what occasion of import Hath all so long detain'd you from your wife, And sent you hither so unlike yourself? Pet. Tedious it were to tell, and harsh to hear: Sufficeth, I am come to keep my word, Though in some part enforced to digress; Which, at more leisure, I will so excuse As you shall well be satisfied withal. But, where is Kate? I stay too long from her; The morning wears, 'tis time we were at church. Tra. See not your bride in these unreverent robes: Go to my chamber, put on clothes of mine. Pet. Not I, believe me; thus I'll visit her. Bap. But thus, I trust, you will not marry her. Pet. Good sooth, even thus; therefore have done with words; To me she's married, not unto my clothes: Bap. I'll after him, and see the event of this. [Exit. Tra. But, sir, to her love concerneth us to add Her father's liking: Which to bring to pass, As I before imparted to your worship, I am to get a man,-whate'er he be, The narrow-prying father, Minola; Signior Gremio, came you from the church? Gre. A bridegroom say you? 'tis a groom, indeed, A grumbling groom, and that the girl shall find. Tra. Curster than she? why, 'tis impossible. Gre. Why, he's a devil, a devil, a very fiend. Tra. Why, she's a devil, a devil, the devil's dam. Gre. Tut! she's a lamb, a dove, a fool to him. I'll tell you, sir Lucentio: When the priest Should ask-if Katharine should be his wife, Ay, by gogs-wouns, quoth he; and swore so loud, Tra. What said the wench, when he arose again? Gre. Trembled and shook; for why, he stamp'd, and swore, As if the vicar meant to cozen him. But that his beard grew thin and hungerly, And, after me, I know the route is coming; I know, you think to dine with me to-day, Bap. Is't possible, you will away to-night? Kath. Nay, then, Do what thou canst, I will not go to-day; Pet. O, Kate, content thee; pr'ythee be not angry. Kath. I will be angry: What hast thou to do? Father, be quiet: he shall stay my leisure. Gre. Ay, marry, sir: now it begins to work. Kath. Gentlemen, forward to the bridal dinner:I see, a woman may be made a fool, If she had not a spirit to resist. Pet. They shall go forward, Kate, at thy command: Obey the bride, you that attend on her: Carouse full measure to her maidenhead, She is my goods, my chattels; she is my house, I'll buckler thee against a million. [Exeunt PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, and GRUMIO. Bap. Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet ones. Gre. Went they not quickly, I should die with laughing. Tra. Of all mad matches, never was the like! For to supply the places at the table, Tra. Shall sweet Bianca practise how to bride it? ACT IV. SCENE I.—A Hall in Petruchio's Country House. | foot; and so long am I, at the least. But wilt thou Enter GRUMIO. Gru. Fye, fye, on all tired jades, on all mad masters, and all foul ways! Was ever man so beaten? was ever man so rayed? was ever man so weary? I am sent before to make a fire, and they are coming after to warm them. Now, were I not a little pot, and soon hot, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my tongue to the roof of my mouth, my heart in my belly, ere I should come by a fire to thaw me:-But, I, with blowing the fire, shall warm myself: for, considering the weather, a taller man than I will take cold. Holla, hoa! Curtis! Enter CURTIS. Curt. Who is that, calls so coldly? Gru. A piece of ice: If thou doubt it, thou mayst slide from my shoulder to my heel, with no greater a run but my head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis. Curt. Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio? Gru. O, ay, Curtis, ay: and therefore fire, fire; cast on no water. Curt. Is she so hot a shrew as she's reported? Gru. She was, good Curtis, before this frost; but, thou know'st, winter tames man, woman, and beast; for it hath tamed my old master, and my new mistress, and myself, fellow Curtis. Curt. Away, you three-inch fool! I am no beast. Gru. Am I but three inches? why, thy horn is a • Striped. make a fire, or shall I complain on thee to our mistress, whose hand (she being now at hand) thou shalt soon feel, to thy cold comfort, for being slow in thy hot office? Curt. I pr'ythee, good Grumio, tell me, How goes the world? Gru. A cold world, Curtis, in every office but thine; and, therefore, fire: Do thy duty, and have thy duty; for my master and mistress are almost frozen to death. Curt. There's fire ready: And therefore, good Grumio, the news? Gru. Why, Jack boy! ho boy! and as much news as thou wilt. Curt. Come, you are so full of conycatching Gru. Why, therefore, fire; for I have caught extreme cold. Where's the cook? is supper ready, the house trimmed, rushes strewed, cobwebs swept; the serving men in their new fustian, their white stockings, and every officer his wedding-garment on? Be the jacks fair within, the jills fair without, the carpets laid, and every thing in order? Curt. All ready; and therefore, I pray thee, news? Gru. First, know, my horse is tired; my master and mistress fallen out. Curt. How? Gru. Out of their saddles into the dirt; And thereby hangs a tale. Curt. Let's ha't, good Grumio. • Delicacies Curt. Why, a horse. Gru. Tell thou the tale:- -But hadst thou not crossed me, thou shouldst have heard how her horse fell, and she under her horse; thou shouldst have heard in how miry a place: how she was bemoiled;' how he left her with the horse upon her; how he beat me because her horse stumbled; how she waded through the dirt to pluck him off me; how he swore; how she prayed-that never prayed before; how I cried; how the horses ran away; how her bridle was burst; how I lost my crupper;-with many things of worthy memory; which now shall die in oblivion, and thou return unexperienced to thy grave. Curt. By this reckoning, he is more shrew than she. Gru. Ay; and that, thou and the proudest of you all shall find, when he comes home. But what talk I of this?-call forth Nathaniel, Joseph, Nicholas, Philip, Walter, Sugarsop, and the rest ; let their heads be sleekly combed, their blue coats brushed, and their garters of an indifferent knit: let them curtsey with their left legs; and not presume to touch a hair of my master's horse-tail, till they kiss their hands. Are they all ready? Curt. They are. Gru. Call them forth. Curt. I call them forth to credit her. Nath. Welcome home, Grumio. Gru. Welcome, you;-how now, you;-what, you;-fellow, you-and thus much for greeting. Now, my spruce companions, is all ready and all things neat? Nath. All things are ready: How near is our master? Gru. E'en at hand, alighted by this; and therefore be not-Cock's passion, silence!I hear my master. Enter PETRUCHIO and KATHARINA. Pet. You peasant swain! you whoreson malt- Did I not bid thee meet me in the park, Gru. Nathaniel's coat, sir, was not fully made, The rest were ragged, old, and beggarly; Re-enter Servants with Supper. Why, when, I say?-Nay, good sweet Kate, be merry. Off with my boots, you rogues, you villains; It was the friar of orders gray, [Sings. As he forth walked on his way:Out, out, you rogue! you pluck my foot awry: Take that, and mend the plucking off the other.[Strikes him. Be merry, Kate:-Some water, here; what, ho!Where's my spaniel Troilus?-Sirrah, get you hence, And bid my cousin Ferdinand come hither: [Exit Servant. One, Kate, that you must kiss, and be acquainted with. Where are my slippers?-Shall I have some water? [Strikes him. Kath. Patience, I pray you; 'twas a fault unwilling. Pet. A whoreson beetle-headed, flap-ear'd knave! Come, Kate; sit down; I know you have a stomach. Will you give thanks, sweet Kate; or else shall I?— What is this? mutton? 1 Serv. Pet. 1 Serv. Ay. Who brought it? I. And serve it thus to me that love it not? [Throws the meat, &c. about the stage. You heedless joltheads, and unmanner'd slaves! What, do you grumble? I'll be with you straight. Kath. I pray you, husband, be not so disquiet; Pet. Where be these knaves? What, no man at And I expressly am forbid to touch it, door, To hold my stirrup, nor to take my horse! All Serv. Here, here, sir; here, sir. 2 Not different one from the other. For it engenders choler, planteth anger; 4 A word coined by Shakspeare to express the noise made by a person heated and fatigued. Nath. [Advancing.] Peter, didst ever see the like? Re-enter CURTIS. Gru. Where is he? Curt. In her chamber, Making a sermon of continency to her: And sits as one new-risen from a dream. Away, away! for he is coming hither. Re-enter PETRUCHIO. [Exeunt. Pet. Thus have I politicly begun my reign, Tra. Signior Hortensio, I have often heard Hor. See, how they kiss and court!-Signior Here is my hand, and here I firmly vow—• Tra. And here I take the like unfeigned oath,- For me, that I may surely keep mine oath, Last night she slept not, nor to-night she shall not: Shall win my love-and so I take my leave, I'll find about the making of the bed; And here I'll fling the pillow, there the holster, That all is done in reverend care of her; And, in conclusion, she shall watch all night: SCENE II.-Padua. Before Baptista's House. Enter TRANIO and HORTENSIO. Hor. Sir, to satisfy you in what I have said, Enter BIANCA and LUCENTIO. Luc. I read that I profess, the art of love. art! Luc. While you, sweet dear, prove mistress of pray, You that durst swear that your mistress Bianca Tra. O despiteful love! unconstant woman- I tell thee. Licio, this is wonderful. Hor. Mistake no more: I am not Licio, A thing stuffed to look like the game which the hawk In resolution as I swore before. [Exit HORTENSIO.-LUCENTIO and BIANCA advance. Tra. Mistress Bianca, bless you with such grace Tra. Mistress, we have. Luc. Tra. Ay, mistress, and Petruchio is the master; Enter BIONDELLO, running. Bion. O master, master, I have watch'd so long Will serve the turn. Tra. I'll make him glad to seem Vincentio; Ped. Of Mantua. Tra. Of Mantua, sir?-marry, God forbid! And come to Padua, careless of your life? Ped. My life, sir! how, I pray? for that goes hard. Tra. "Tis death for any one in Mantua To come to Padua; Know you not the cause? Your ships are staid at Venice; and the duke (For private quarrel 'twixt your duke and him) Hath publish'd and proclaim'd it openly: 'Tis marvel; but that you're but newly come, You might have heard it else proclaim'd about. Ped. Alas, sir, it is worse for me than so; For I have bills for money by exchange From Florence, and must here deliver them. Tra. Well, sir, to do you courtesy, This will I do, and this will I advise you;First, tell me, have you ever been at Pisa? Ped. Ay, sir, in Pisa have I often been; Pisa, renowned for grave citizens. Tra. Among them, know you one Vincentio? Ped. I know him not, but I have heard of him; A merchant of incomparable wealth. Tra. He is my father, sir; and, sooth to say, In countenance somewhat doth resemble you. Bion. As much as an apple doth an oyster, and all one. Tra. To save your life in this extremity, This favor will I do you for his sake; [Aside. And think it not the worst of all your fortunes, Ped. O, sir, I do; and will repute you ever Tra. Then go with me, to make the matter good. This, by the way, I let you understand; My father is here look'd for every day, To pass assurance of a dower in marriage "Twixt me and one Baptista's daughter here: In all these circumstances I'll instruct you: Go with me, sir, to clothe you as becomes you. [Exeunt. SCENE III-A Room in Petruchio's House. Enter KATHARINA and GRUMIO. What, did he marry me to famish me? Kath. A dish that I do love to feed upon. Or else you get no beef of Grumio. Kath. Then both or one, or any thing thou wilt. Gru. Why then the mustard without the beef. Kath. Go, get thee gone, thou false deluding slave, [Beats him. That feed'st me with the very name of meat: Sorrow on thee, and all the pack of you, That triumph thus upon my misery! Go, get thee gone, I say. Enter PETRUCHIO with a dish of meat; and HORTENSIO. Pet. How fares my Kate? What, sweeting, all amort?" Hor. Mistress, what cheer? Kath. 'Faith, as cold as can be. Pet. Pluck up thy spirits, look cheerfully upon me. Here, love; thou seest how diligent I am, To dress thy meat myself, and bring it thee; [Sets the dish on a table. I am sure, sweet Kate, this kindness merits thanks. What, not a 'word? Nay then, thou lov'st it not; And all my pains is sorted to no proof:Here, take away this dish. Kath. 'Pray you, let it stand. Pet. The poorest service is repaid with thanks; And so shall mine before you touch the meat. Kath. I thank you, sir. Hor. Signor Petruchio, fye! you are to blame! Come, mistress Kate, I'll bear you company. Pet. Eat it up all, Hortensio, if thou lov'st me. [Aside. Much good do it unto thy gentle heart! With silken coats, and caps, and golden rings, Enter Tailor. Come, tailor, let us see these ornaments; Enter Haberdasher. Lay forth the gown.-What news with you, sir? Kath. I'll have no bigger; this doth fit the time, Kath. "Tis passing good; I pr'ythee let me have it. My tongue will tell the anger of my heart; Gru. I fear it is too choleric a meat:How say you to a fat tripe, finely broil'd? Kath. I like it well; good Grumio, fetch it me. Gru. I cannot tell; I fear 'tis choleric. What say you to a piece of beef, and mustard? Or else my heart, concealing it, will break; • Finery. |